Kelly Clarkson reveals 'American Idol' producer was 'not a fan' of how she looked: "I needed to be..."
Kelly Clarkson is known for being unapologetically herself. However, being true to herself wasn't easy, especially during her early days on American Idol. In 2002, Clarkson became the first-ever winner of the show, but behind the scenes, she had to deal with unexpected challenges. Clarkson allegedly got into an argument with one of the producers about her decision not to wear makeup when the cameras were off. Years later, Clarkson dished about the drama on a February 2024 episode of the Smartless podcast.
Looking back on her time on the hit show, she explained how she 'got in trouble' with a producer who insisted she needed a full face of makeup—even for casual, behind-the-scenes footage. "They were like, 'We're about to be on camera,' and I was like, 'I know,'" Clarkson recalled. "And they said it again, but I just didn't care. I didn't see why I needed to be all dolled up to hang out in the house or film something casual." Unlike some of her fellow contestants, who embraced the makeup chair, Clarkson admitted she simply wasn't into it. "The other girls were really into that stuff, but I wasn't," she explained. "It wasn't me, and I wasn't going to fake it." Adding to the challenge, she revealed she was highly allergic to eye makeup, which made wearing it uncomfortable.
Clarkson clarified that she did not mean to snub all makeup. She was absolutely cool with working with her makeup artist and admired the craft, but what did not sit well with her were the unnecessary glamours. "I am not anti-makeup. I enjoy the art of it," she said. "But in my real life, or even in off-duty time on Idol, I didn't feel the need to put it on, and I wasn't going to alter who I was to please someone else."
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This wasn’t the first time Clarkson opened up about her no-makeup philosophy. In an interview with People magazine in 2018, she stressed, "I care about the things that actually matter...And for me, that's being a kind, thoughtful person, not worrying about what I look like." The Grammy winner and talk show host has also had much to say in the past about embracing the natural aging process rather than going for Botox. During an appearance on Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown podcast, she explained why she has no desire to go under the knife or inject anything into her face. “I’m gonna look like a total Shar-Pei, like a dog,” she joked. “I’m gonna have every wrinkle in the world on my face, and I’m OK with that.”
For Clarkson, it’s not about looking down on others who choose cosmetic enhancements, it’s simply a personal choice. “It has nothing to do with me being better than somebody that gets [work done],” she said. Additionally, she insisted that it stems from her wish to normalize natural aging in an industry that was so obsessed with youth. "I hope I'm still having my talk show, and I hope people see this is what it looks like—this is how you look when you get older; it's fine," she shared. Clarkson's message is clear: beauty standards shouldn't dictate how people feel about themselves.
